The Beach Boys - Surfin' U.S.A. (1963) [Toshiba-EMI Cardboard Sleeve Reissue] RESTORED

Surfin' USA is the second album released by The Beach Boys and was released in early 1963. As with Surfin' Safari, some have speculated that it was not Nick Venet, the officially-listed producer, but rather Brian, who produced Surfin' USA. Surfin' USA is notable for giving The Beach Boys their first widespread success with its title track, and for Brian Wilson's increasing prowess in songwriting, as well as vocal arrangement. The fuller-sounding vocals were achieved using double tracking, creating The Beach Boys' own unique sound. What is also interesting about this particular album is that five of its twelve tracks are surf instrumentals, "Stoked" being Brian Wilson's first of many instrumental songs he'd composed over the years for The Beach Boys. In addition, "Surf Jam" marks the first time Carl Wilson, aged 16 at the time, received a songwriting credit. While the title track of the album was the center of attention (with its B-side "Shut Down" receiving some notice in the process), there were other highlights to be found. "Farmer's Daughter", the first of many Brian Wilson falsetto lead vocals, was affecting enough that Fleetwood Mac covered it live in 1980, while "Lonely Sea" (an outtake from the Surfin' Safari sessions and the first song Wilson wrote with Gary Usher) is the earliest glimpse we have of Brian Wilson's melancholic side. "Lana" and "Finders Keepers" (with its Four Seasons-esque hook) are also acclaimed tracks from Surfin' USA. The title track, "Surfin' USA", became The Beach Boys' first big hit in the US and took its parent album into gold record status and the Top 10, peaking at #2. In 1965, upon re-release in the UK, Surfin' USA would reach #17. The song while originally credited as composed by Brian Wilson, is a direct copy of Chuck Berry's Sweet Little Sixteen. The threat of a lawsuit officially gave Berry sole writing credit (both lyrics and music) for the song. The song "Surfin' USA" is part of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.

The real breakthrough, as Brian Wilson asserts himself in the studio as both songwriter and arranger on a set of material that was much stronger than Surfin' Safari. Besides the hit title track and its popular drag-racing flip side ("Shut Down"), this has a lovely, heartbreaking ballad ("Lonely Sea") and a couple of strong Brian Wilson originals ("The Noble Surfer" and "Farmer's Daughter"). There are also a surprisingly high quotient of instrumentals (five) that demonstrate that, before session musicians took over most of the parts, the Beach Boys could play respectably gutsy surf rock as a self-contained unit. Indeed, the album as a whole is the best they would make, prior to the late '60s, as a band that played most of their instruments, rather than as a vehicle for Brian Wilson's ideas. The LP was a huge hit, vital to launching surf music as a national craze, and one of the few truly strong records to be recorded by a self-contained American Rock band prior to the British Invasion.

~ Richie Unterberger, all media guide

Tracklist:

01. Surfin' USA
02. Farmer's Daughter
03. Misirlou
04. Stoked
05. Lonely Sea
06. Shut Down
07. Noble Surfer
08. Honky Tonk
09. Lana
10. Surf Jam
11. Let's Go Trippin'
12. Finders Keepers



Produced by Nick Venet.
Recorded: 31 January - 12 February 1963,
except "Lonely Sea": 13 June 1962.
Originally Released as Capitol (S)T-1890

• David Marks - rhythm guitar
• Mike Love - vocals, saxophone
• Brian Wilson - vocals, bass, keyboards
• Carl Wilson - vocals, lead guitar
• Dennis Wilson - vocals, drums

BT Found & Repacked.
Thanks to the Original Releaser


Original Release Date: March 25, 1963 (May 2, 1963)
Japanese Re-Released: October 22, 2000 (July 23, 1998)
Format: Original Recording Reissued
Label: Toshiba-EMI Co., Japan
Catalog No.: TOCP-50850